Today's news

University cracks down on plagiarism
Australia's oldest academic institution, the University of Sydney, has moved to stamp out plagiarism after more than 200 students were suspected of cheating. In one department alone - the veterinary faculty - 73 of the 628 students were investigated for allegedly copying or fabricating material.
The Guardian

Damning verdict on GM crop
The long-awaited final results of the GM trials for Britain's biggest crop, winter oil seed rape, show that wildlife and the environment would suffer if the crop were grown in the UK, in effect ending the biotech industry's hopes of introducing GM varieties in the foreseeable future.
The Guardian

Six colleges given full university status
Six higher education colleges are to achieve full university status in the biggest expansion of the sector since the polytechnics became universities in 1992. The university colleges of Bath Spa, Canterbury Christchurch, Southampton Institute, Liverpool Hope, Chester and Winchester all had confirmation from the Government that, subject to formal approval by the Privy Council, they had successfully won university status.
The Independent, The Times Higher Education Supplement (March 18)

Call for spending focus on under-5s
The government must lift the £3,000 cap on university tuition fees and redirect the money to support children under five if it is to extend opportunity and improve life chances, according to a hard-hitting study published today.
The Guardian

Network of top scientists helped 'Angel of Death' Mengele
The "Angel of Death" Josef Mengele, who was long thought to have been the black sheep of Germany's scientists under the Nazi regime, was in fact supported by a network of elite researchers, new research has revealed.
The Guardian

Plane-mad teenager launches Oxbridge air service
A former schoolboy who gave up A-levels to achieve his childhood ambition of becoming a pilot has launched his own airline at the age of 18.  His company, Alpha 1 Airways, will operate a twice-daily service between Oxford and Cambridge, two cities linked by academia but not by a convenient road or rail network.
Daily Telegraph, The Times

God is in the genes
Religious belief is in the genes and can literally be inherited from one's parents, according to a study at Minnesota University.
Daily Telegraph

Education for all
The government's new 14-19 plans will help more students from working-class families to go into higher education, says Kim Howells.
The Guardian

Facing up to HE's new economy
As we move to a more mixed public-private funding regime, what is Hefce funding for? And following on from this, how can the public interest in higher education, which is embodied in the continuing investment of public funds, be promoted and secured? Howard Newby calls for a debate on the future of public funding.
The Guardian

Prepare for a demanding future
Report on MPAs (Masters in Public Administration), which help managers cope in a fast-changing public sector world.
The Times

Bursary blues
Students aren't the only ones edgy about the new variable fees regime.
The Guardian

Lame academy
The government's decision to kill off the NHS University after just 18 months is too hasty.
The Guardian

Don your way
What it's like to work at Thames Valley University.
The Guardian